


Dinner Invitation

by thatwriterlady



Series: 30 Day Writing Challenge 2017 [17]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Domestic, Asking Out, Attraction, Castiel Has a Crush on Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester Has a Crush on Castiel, Doctor Dean, First Date, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Writer Castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-17
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2019-02-04 06:39:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12765252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwriterlady/pseuds/thatwriterlady
Summary: The weather outside is frigid and Dean has holed himself up in his highrise condo on his day off.  He expects to have just a boring day to himself until he notices an index card has been slipped under his door with a neatly printed message on it.  It's a dinner invitation from his hot neighbor across the hall, the one he's been interested in since the man moved in.  This is an invitation he definitely doesn't want to pass up.





	Dinner Invitation

**Author's Note:**

> So the word for this one is "Message". I know, I'm a few days late, but I am like, ridiculously sick right now. I started getting sick last Wednesday and at first I thought it was just my asthma getting worse, but it wasn't. It kept getting worst and by Saturday I figured out that it wasn't my asthma, it was bronchitis. Whenever I catch a cold, it automatically sinks into my chest and turns into bronchitis. I thought I was getting better but it took a turn for the worse, so yesterday I ended up at urgent care. I have bronchitis and a sinus infection but I'm on antibiotics now, so I should start getting better. I've had fevers, sudden rashes, and a chest rattling cough for the last 10 days now that I'm more than ready to be done with. Writing has not been a top priority as a result. So I fell behind. It's going to take me a few days to catch up again as I'm still not back to myself. I hope you all enjoy this one. I think it came out sweet.

**Day 17~**

**Message~**

 

The first thing Dean did every morning before heading in to work was take a nice, hot shower.  It had been his routine for years and was a great way to start his day, especially in the winter when he barely even wanted to get out of bed.  His condo was pretty warm though, despite the freezing Chicago winters.  Why he’d decided to accept a transfer here, he had no idea.  He was seriously considering just packing it all in and going home to work for his uncle back in Kansas.  It wouldn’t pay nearly as well, but life would be simpler, richer in different ways, and a hell of a lot less cold.  Chicago was too congested and there was just way too much crime. 

 

Being that it was Saturday and the second one in January, you couldn’t have drawn him out of his place, even with the lure of pie and burgers.  The temps outside in the single digits and he just wanted to lounge around in his thick socks and flannel pajamas.  His living room had a picture window with a little seat, a big selling point for why he’d been choosing a place to buy as he could see Lake Michigan from here.  He grabbed a hot mug of coffee, a thick throw blanket, and went to sit and look out at the frozen world beyond.

 

The lake was almost magical.  It was scary just before winter settled in, and reminded him of the oceans he’d seen as a boy when he’d gone on vacations with his parents.  Some of the waves he’d seen come crashing up onto Lake Shore Drive were terrifying, and he was in awe of nature and her cycles.  He found himself thinking about the path that had led him here.  As a little boy he’d wanted to be a fireman more than anything.  Then his mother had gotten sick when he was six with cancer.  Shortly after his ninth birthday she was gone.  He’d wanted more than anything to save her and he’d spent many years in therapy for his anger over his inability to do anything for her.  They’d called it survivor’s guilt.  He understood it for what it was now. 

 

When he was 11, his dad remarried.  Kate was very sweet and very loving, and Dean latched on to her immediately.  He became a mama’s boy, and formed a wonderful relationship with her.  His father had feared that he’d resister, put up a fight, but he’d been desperate for a mother’s love and Kate had an endless bounty to give.  Even after she gave birth to their little brother Adam a year later, she never stopped loving them.  Dean and his brother Sam, who was three and a half years younger than him grew up loved, and that was more than a lot of kids every got.  Sam went on to become a lawyer and Dean…well, he gave up his dream of being a firefighter.  That was a childhood fantasy anyway.  Instead, at Kate’s insistence, he followed his heart and went into medicine. 

 

He’d thought about oncology but as much as he hated to admit it, he was too emotional to deal with that on a daily basis, so instead he chose to specialize in cardiology, more specifically, he’d become a cardiothoracic surgeon.  It was rewarding, but it was lonely being so far away from his family.  Wind pelted ice off his window cutting visibility down so with a heavy sigh he got up and carried his empty mug into the kitchen.  As he came back into the living room he noticed something on the floor, just inside the front door.  He hadn’t heard anyone knock, so he found it a little odd that someone would just go and slip something under his door like this. 

 

Leaning down, he plucked it off the hardwood floor and turned it over.  It was an index card with a neatly printed message on it from his neighbor across the hall.  Every floor had two units and the man in the other unit was some kind of writer.  Dean didn’t see him very often, but when he did, he found it nearly impossible not to stare.  His name was Castiel Novak and he was breathtakingly beautiful.  The few times they’d gotten to talk he’d been pulled in by the man’s intense blue eyes and ridiculously low voice.  He knew Cas was at least bi since he’d see him have at least one boyfriend and one girlfriend in the four years he’d lived across the hall from Dean. 

 

The print was neat and clearly legible, as organized as Dean imagined Cas might be.  He wondered if the man actually was that put together in reality or if it was all an illusion.  As he read the words on the card though, he found himself smiling.

 

_Dean,_

_The weather is absolutely awful and I made the grave mistake last night of ordering enough Thai food for ten people.  It will go bad before I can eat it all.  I like Asian food but not enough to eat it for breakfast, lunch AND dinner all weekend long.  Would you care to join me for dinner this evening?  If you don’t like Thai I will just chuck what I can’t finish, but you’re still welcome to stop by.  I’m not going out in this weather, even if a tornado ripped through here.  It’s too damn cold outside._

_Cas_

Dean loved the idea of dinner with his gorgeous neighbor.  He’d had many a fantasy of what it would be like to ask the man out, but he’d never been able to work up the nerve to do it.  Tonight maybe he could get a feel for whether he actually had a chance.  First though, he needed to change out of the pajama pants with the fuzzy sheep on them and into some jeans.  He wanted to make a good impression when he went over to accept Cas’ dinner invitation.

 

 

Cas paced back and forth in his living room, his stomach clenched tight in knots as he thought about what he’d just done.  Was that too forward?  Would Dean see through his lie?  He didn’t have the man’s number so he’d been forced to resort to slipping a card under the door.  Saturdays were Dean’s usual day off and with the weather as bad as it was, the opportunity to invite the handsome doctor over for dinner seemed too perfect to ignore.  Since he’d first glimpsed the man going into his condo shortly after he’d moved in, he’d been interested.  Of course he’d been in a sort of “friends with benefits” type relationship with Meg at that time, and more than a few times he knew Dean had seen her leaving Cas’ place.  He wasn’t ashamed of what they’d had.  It was a no strings attached type situation and it had been nice while it lasted, but she’d met the love of her life three years ago and he’d been incredibly happy for her.

 

Not long after that, he’d met Fergus.  That had been a disaster from the get go, but it had been fun while it lasted.  He’d been single for over two years now and trying this entire time to work up the nerve to do this.  It was just dinner.  Would Dean see it as a date?  He stopped pacing and clutched at his stomach when he realized he had never taken into account the fact that he no idea which way Dean swung.  Sure, it seemed like the man was interested.  He sure flirted, and it looked like was checking Cas out when he thought he wasn’t looking, but maybe he was reading him wrong?  Just as he was about to make himself sick, his doorbell rang.  He stayed where he was for a minute so it didn’t seem like he was standing there by the door just waiting for Dean to show up.  When the 60 seconds had passed he crossed the few feet to the door slowly, took a deep breath and exhaled as he opened it.

 

“Hello, Dean, I see you got my message.”  He smile wide and hoped he didn’t look like a ball of nerves.  Dean waved the index card a bit as he smiled back.

 

“I did, and I’d love to join you for dinner.  I don’t have your number or I’d have just texted you back.  We’re neighbors, we really should have each other’s numbers.  You know, in case of emergencies.”

 

“You’re right.  I was thinking I’d have dinner ready at six.  Does that work for you?”  Cas asked as he fished his phone out of his back pocket.  He took the opportunity to hungrily take in how delicious Dean looked at that moment in a gray sweater and jeans.  Dean was pulling his phone out too.  They exchanged numbers and tucked their phones away again.

 

“Six works great.  I can bring something.  Beer?  Wine?” 

 

“Whatever you like, it’s not necessary, but it’s appreciated.”  Cas couldn’t help but stare.  How was this man not taken?  Who was so stupid that they hadn’t snatched him up and kept him as their own?  The few times he’d gotten the opportunity to talk to Dean at any kind of length, he’d found the man to be incredibly intelligent, charming, and kind. 

 

“So, uh, what are you doing on such a cold day?”  Dean asked.  Cas blinked and looked away shyly, his cheeks tinging red when he saw the other man smiling at having caught him staring.

 

“Oh, laundry mostly, and writing.  I met my deadline, but I kept going because they’ll be hounding me again soon for the next one and I like to stay ahead where I can.  I didn’t want to get up this morning though, my bed was so warm.”

 

Dean chuckled and the sound vibrated through Cas, making his entire body tingle with want. 

 

“I know the feeling.  I hauled myself up, took a hot shower and got back in my pajamas.  Then…coffee.  I love the view from my living room, I can see the lake, so I sat and watched it for a while until the weather got nasty and the windows iced over.”

 

“You’re lucky.  My living room doesn’t offer me such a spectacular view.  I have a view of the city, all the way to the suburbs.  Miles of smog, on some summer days.”  Cas joked.

 

“You should come over sometime, I’ll show you the view from mine.  Especially in the fall when the waves are really crashing.  It’s kind of scary.”  Dean said.

 

“I’ve driven on LSD during that.  It’s terrifying.  I avoid it now during that weather.”  Cas shuddered.

 

“Me too, but the view from up here?  It’s magnificent.” 

 

Cas met the green eyes looking back at him and it felt as if there was some kind of electrical charge between them.  He smiled.

 

“I’d like that.”

 

“Well, I have a bit of work to do, but I’ll be here at six.”  Dean started backing up slowly towards his own open door and Cas leaned against his frame, watching him go.

 

“I’ll see you then.”

 

Dean flashed him a beautiful smile that sent his heart racing, and then he was turning and heading into his place, closing the door behind himself.  Cas closed his own door and leaned back against it.

 

“Get it together, Novak, you’re not a little school girl.”  He growled.  It was hard though.  Dean was beautiful and so nice.  He hoped that this chance at getting to know the man would only prove he was right, Dean was damn close to perfect and people were stupid not to have swept him up and held him tight forever.

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The morning seemed to drag, as did the afternoon, but Dean had things to do anyway, so he did them.  At five he fished a dark green dress shirt out of his closet along with a pair of black dress pants.  He shaved and styled his hair before getting dressed, adding his comfortable pair of Oxfords, figuring if he overdressed he might freak Cas out, and added a light dab of cologne.  Then he spent ten minutes wondering if the cologne was overkill.  He rarely ever got the chance to wear any, so he decided to just let it go.  Not knowing what kind of wine went with Thai food, and not really being much of a wine person, he opted for beer and headed over to Cas’.  He’d never actually been inside of his neighbor’s apartment and he was curious to see how the man lived. 

 

His footsteps were silent as he walked across the hall and rang bell, but even if they weren’t, he was fairly certain the pounding of his heart in his ears would have drown the sound out.  The door opened and for a moment he forgot how to breathe.  Earlier Cas had been dressed in a flannel and loose fitting pants but now he was dressed in a navy blue sweater that showed off his toned chest and arms and black dress pants that hinted at strong thighs.  He looked fantastic and smiled wide as he stepped aside to let Dean in.

 

“Oh, I like that label.”  He said, nodding towards the beer.  Slowly, brain function seemed to come back and Dean remembered where he was and what he was doing.  He stepped into Cas’ living room and offered over the beer.

 

“It’s my favorite.  I grew up in Kansas and we never drank anything fancy.  I guess I never really upgraded.  I don’t like the super cheap beers, they taste awful, but I’m not a snob either.  I never saw a reason to buy $1,000 bottles of wine or $10,000 furniture sets.  Hell, my couch is from Ikea.”  Dean admitted with a chuckle.  Cas smiled as he motioned for Dean to follow him into the dining room.

 

“I grew up in Illinois, in a house with eight kids, we weren’t rich.  We shopped at the dollar store and other discount stores.  My mother was the queen of coupons, and as the youngest boy I don’t think I ever wore a single piece of clothing that didn’t have a patch or stain that one of my brothers had previously made.  I didn’t get my first full, brand new wardrobe until I’d sold my first novel.  I still don’t waste my money.  I hemmed and hawed before I bought this place.  It feels extravagant to me, but my brother Michael says I deserved to spoil myself, so he talked to a realtor friend of his and he helped me get this place.  I’m still having doubts about how much I paid.”  Cas said as he set the six pack down on the table. 

 

“I hear that.  I’ve been seriously thinking of selling and moving back to Kansas lately.  I miss my family and my uncle has a small practice in Kansas City.  I wouldn’t be doing surgery anymore, so I wouldn’t make as much money, but my loans are all paid off, and this place is close to paid off now too due to some good investing, so it’s tempting.  Plus, these winters are killing me.”  Dean looked at the food on the table.  It really was a lot for just one person.  Cas had moved it all into glass dishes with lids so he couldn’t tell what any of it was just yet.  They sat down in seats adjacent to one another and Cas began pulling dishes closer.

 

“Do you like Thai?  I didn’t even ask, I just assumed.”

 

“I like food.”  Dean joked.  Cas smiled as he lifted the lid off a dish and offered a serving spoon to Dean.

 

They picked through the various dishes, talking about life, work, and family as they ate.  Dean told him about his brothers, Sam and Adam, and about his parents.  Cas told him about his parents, his five older brothers, two older sisters, and his little sister.  They enjoyed a beer each and once they were pleasantly full, Dean helped him clean everything up and store the remaining food. 

 

The kitchen was nice.  Not as well organized as Dean’s, but still a pleasant an inviting atmosphere painted in warm earth tones.  He smiled when he noticed the dish towels hanging on the cabinets under the sink had bees on them, and the holder for the scrubby was a ceramic beehive.  Cas was even sweeter than he’s realized.

 

“I, um, made dessert.  I wasn’t sure what you liked, and I debated on cake or pie, and since I had apples on hand, I went with pie.”  Cas was saying as he pulled a pie out of the oven where he’d been keeping it warm.  He knew he’d chosen right by the way Dean’s eyes lit up at the sight of it.

 

“Man, I _love_ pie!”

 

“I do as well.  Apple is my second favorite, but I did not have any cherries, nor did I feel like venturing out in this cold to get some.  One of the benefits of working from home is that I don’t have to go out in this weather if I don’t want to.”  Cas’ smile was dazzling as he pulled a knife out and began cutting into the pie.  The scent of warm apples and cinnamon hit Dean and he suddenly felt a pang of loss.  His mother, Mary used to make pies like this when he was little, and one of his favorite memories was standing on the stepstool in the kitchen with her, wearing one of her aprons as she showed him how to mix the ingredients just right, and then add them to the waiting crust.  He blinked and felt the wetness there, so he swiped at both eyes.

 

“Are you ok?”  Cas asked, looking at him with concern.

 

“Oh, I’m great.  I was just thinking about my mom.  When I was really little we used to make pies like this together.  She’d put one of her aprons on me and double it up so I didn’t trip on it, then set me on the stepstool so I could see over the counter.  I got to add whatever ingredient she handed me to the apples.  I suppose I just got nostalgic for a moment.  My stepmom makes pies too, but it’s not the same, you know?”

 

“Yes, I do understand that.  That’s a memory you have of your mother.  No one could ever replace it.  No one ever should.” 

 

Dean smiled and nodded.  “You’re right.”

 

They took their slices of pie back to the dining room and sat down to eat.

 

“This is amazing.”  Dean felt that ache in his heart again as he swallowed his first bite.  His memory was rusty, but this sure tasted pretty damn close to how his mother’s had all those years ago. 

 

“Thank you.  Baking and cooking helps me sometimes when I have writer’s block.  When I get frustrated, I come in here and I’ll just start experimenting.  Sometimes what I create is really amazing.  Sometimes it’s absolutely disgusting and should never be spoken of again.  A couple months back I got angry when the plotline I was working on was not going in the direction I wanted, so I came in here and I started putting together brownies from scratch.  I’d never made them from scratch before, but it gave me the time I needed to cool down and think.  I ended up with the most delectable, decadent brownie I’ve ever eaten in my life.  They were fudge with walnuts, and I drizzled caramel over the top.  Dear God, they were to die for.  I spent the next few weeks on my treadmill running off all of the calories from those stupid brownies, but it was worth it.  I wrote down the recipe too, and I made them again at Christmas, but in a larger quantity, and I brought them to our family dinner.  I came home with an empty container.”  Cas was proud of that, it showed on his face.  Dean chuckled before swallowing his last bite of pie.

 

“And the plot?  Things turned out ok in the end?”

 

“Oh yes, they turned out great.  I never have a block for long.  The next day I got back in there, cranked out the rest of that chapter and moved on to the next one.”

 

Cas collected their empty plates and carried them into the kitchen.  Dean wasn’t certain if that meant it was time to leave or…

 

“Why don’t we go sit in the living room?”

 

Cas was back, his eyes hopeful as he twisted his hands together nervously.

 

“Sure.”  Dean grabbed two more beers and followed him into the living room. 

 

The couch was this huge, overstuffed brown thing that he melted into when he sat down.  He stuffed a couple throw pillows behind his back and immediately was completely comfortable.  Cas sat down beside him, doing the same thing with pillows, and shuffling a bit closer.  He accepted the beer that was handed over and twisted the top off to take a sip.

 

“I should have invited you over a long time ago.  It really shouldn’t have taken me four years.”

 

Dean shrugged.  “You’ve been busy.”  He wouldn’t have accepted while Cas was seeing someone anyway.

 

“I wasn’t _that_ busy.  Well, except when I was away on tours.  I have another one coming up in the spring.  Mostly I’m just sitting in here writing.  Or cooking.”  Cas said with a crooked smile.  “It’s a miracle I’m not a million pounds.”

 

“Well, the blame is not all on you, I could have done the inviting too, but you always had more company than me, and I didn’t want to rudely interrupt.  On days I work, I come home exhausted and I’m too tired to host.  I’ve thought about it though.  I’m sorry I didn’t.”  Dean hoped he didn’t sound like an ass.  For a moment Cas looked confused, then a light seemed to go off for him and he nodded knowingly.

 

“Ah, you’re talking about Meg and Fergus.  Meg was a friend.  She’s married now and living in Washington.  Fergus was a disaster that I never should have allowed into my life.  But hey, we all make mistakes, right?  That was two years ago though.  Mostly my brothers and sisters visit now, or my agent.  I have a few friends that stop by and try to drag me away from my computer from time to time, but I don’t really go out much anymore, unless my brother Gabriel shows up to drag me out.”

 

Dean caught something in Cas’ voice at the way Cas said the word “friend” when he spoke about Meg, but he had no right to judge.  He had an on again off again thing for years with another doctor at the hospital, Benny, until Benny had met Andrea.  Sparks had flown and they’d gotten pretty serious pretty quickly.  When he’d come to Dean to tell him he’d met someone and that he thought she was “the one”, Dean had been a little jealous.  Not because he wanted to be Benny’s “one”, but because he was 40 and had never met anyone he’d felt any real spark with.  Well, until now. 

 

“So…you’re not seeing anyone?”  It was like his brain and his mouth were two separate entities, and they were not communicating at all with one another.  While his brain was screaming _‘What the fuck are you doing?!’_   His mouth was asking the question his heart was dying to know.  Cas offered another one of his heart stopping smiles and Dean swore his blue eyes sparkled in that moment.

 

“No, I’m not.”

 

“Me either.”  Dean licked his lips, just wanting to test and see how Cas would react.  When blue eyes flickered down to watch the motion, he knew.  He turned a bit in his seat so he was facing Cas more and laid an arm across the back of the couch.  “I have a confession, I said yes tonight because I was sort of hoping this was a date.  I’ve wanted to ask you out for ages, but I thought you were seeing someone.  There’s a blonde guy I see coming and going a lot.  I thought maybe…”

 

“He’s my brother.”  Cas blurted.  He moved closer, pressing against Dean’s side.  “That’s Gabriel, if he’s blonde.  Short, looks like he’s smirking?  Most likely even said something sarcastic to you?”

 

Dean nodded.  “Yeah, he did, a few times.”

 

“He’s the one that teaches nuclear science at the university.  He’s also a sarcastic asshole.”

 

“So you’re definitely single.” 

 

Cas set his beer on the coffee table and settled back against Dean’s side.

 

“I’m definitely single, and I have been looking for an excuse to invite you over here for ages.  The cold weather gave me that reason.  I just…I wasn’t sure if you were interested.”

 

“I’m gay, Cas.”

 

Cas seemed almost relieved by that.  He reached over, hesitating a moment before placing his hand on Dean’s knee.  It only made the doctor move closer.

 

“I’m hoping we can do this again, whenever you’re available next.  You know I’m pretty available, and you don’t have to worry about cooking.  If you come home hungry, I’ll have food.”

 

Dean smiled.  He knew this had to be exactly what Benny had experienced with Andrea.  Connecting with someone like this was pretty damn great.  His fingers found their way to the back of Cas’ hair where they stroked lightly through it.

 

“I work tomorrow morning, but I’m not scheduled for surgery.  I should be home by two.  We could have dinner at my place.  I’ll cook.”

 

“I’d like that.  I can bring the rest of the pie.”  Cas said.

 

“Now that is a fantastic idea.” 

 

“What time should I be there tomorrow?” 

 

Dean thought about what he wanted to make for dinner.  Barring any emergency surgeries, he could be home by two, unless he stopped to pick up groceries.  And that was if he didn’t want to use whatever he had on hand.

 

“Is there anything you can’t or won’t eat?”

 

Cas shook his head.  “No, I’ll eat anything.”

 

“Ok then.  I will figure something out.  Come over around six.  Unfortunately I have to be up at four so I can be at work by six, but I’d like to spend the evening with you.”

 

Cas checked his watch, his expression turning to one of concern when he saw how late it was getting.  “It’s nearly ten now, do you need to get to bed soon?”

 

“I do, but…”  Dean bit his lower lip.  Would he overstepping if he asked for a kiss?

 

“But?”  Those blue eyes were so much more intense this close up, and he just wanted to drown in them.

 

“Would it be ok if I kissed you goodnight first?”

 

Cas’ smile was beautiful, and as his hand slid further up Dean’s thigh, it sent a thrill through them both.  He leaned in, meeting Dean in the middle in a soft press of their lips together.  It was one of the nicest kisses he’d experienced in a very long time.  Before he could pull back, Dean was tilting his head to get a better angle and kissing him again, this time more firmly.  Cas opened up to him easily reaching out to pull him closer.  It had been so long since he’d been kissed like this, or been held in another person’s arms.  His stomach was abuzz and he loved having Dean so close. 

 

After a few more minutes Dean finally broke the kiss, pulling back enough that he could look at Cas.  He smiled as he waited for the man to slowly open his eyes. 

 

“That was a hell of a first kiss.”  Cas said with a smile.  Dean snuck one more kiss which made him laugh.

 

“I like kissing you.  You’ve got lips meant for it.”  He teased.  Cas blushed and smiled.

 

“Yours are pretty wonderful too.”

 

Dean winked and flashed him his best smile before reluctantly getting to his feet.  He didn’t want to leave but if he didn’t get some sleep now he’d be dead on his feet tomorrow.  Cas stood up and walked him to the door.

 

“I’ll be over at six.”  He said.

 

“You don’t have to dress up either.  Dress for comfort since we’re staying in, ok?  When the weather warms up, we’ll go somewhere nice.”  Dean stroked his cheek gently and kissed him one last time.

 

“Alright.  I’ll see you then.  Sleep well, Dean.”

 

“I definitely will, Cas.  You do the same.”

 

Cas leaned against the door frame and watched as he walked down the hall to his own place and walked in.  He’d finally gotten the nerve he’d needed to get Dean to come over to his place and now he had a second date planned.   His little message under the door had worked better than he could have ever dreamed.

 

With a contented sigh, he closed his door and went to go load the dishwasher.  All the while he wondered what he was going to wear tomorrow night.  He was also thinking about a third date…

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully you all did enjoy this one. Thank you for reading. Kudos and comments are always welcome.


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